SUCCESSFUL EXTENDED PRESERVATION OF ISCHEMICALLY DAMAGED PANCREAS BY THE 2-LAYER (UNIVERSITY-OF-WISCONSIN SOLUTION PERFLUOROCHEMICAL) COLD-STORAGE METHOD/

We have demonstrated that a two-layer (University of Wisconsin solutio n [UW]/perfluorochemical [PFC]) cold storage method restores the funct ion of ischemically damaged pancreas during 24-hr preservation in cani ne autotransplantation model. The purpose of this study was to examine the possibility of a long-term preservation of the ischemically damag ed pancreas by the two-layer (UW/PFC) method. After 60 or 90 min of wa rm ischemic time, pancreas grafts were preserved by the two-layer (UW/ PFC) method or a simple cold storage in UW alone for up to 96 hr. A K value of i.v. glucose tolerance test more than 1.0 2 weeks after autot ransplantation was considered successful preservation. After 60 min wa rm ischemia, limitation of preservation time by the simple cold storag e in UW was 24 hr (5/5 100% and 0/5 0%; 24- and 48-hr preservation, re spectively). However, the two-layer method made it possible to extend the preservation time up to 48 hr (5/5 100%, 5/5 100%, 2/5 40%, and 0/ 5 0%; 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-hr preservation, respectively). After 90 m in warm ischemia, the simple cold storage in UW was not effective even for 24-hr preservation (0/5 0%). However, 48-hr preservation was succ essful by the two-layer (UW/PFC) method (5/5 100%, 5/5 100%, and 0/5 0 %; 24-, 48-, and 72-hr preservation, respectively). After preservation by the two-layer (Um/PFC) method, ATP tissue concentrations of viable grafts were significantly higher compared with nonviable grafts (9.11 +/-3.05 (n=22) versus 5.22+/-1.02 (n=13) mu mol/g dry wt, P<0.001). Ba sed on analysis of individual ATP for each graft, if an ATP concentrat ion of 6.0 mu mol/g dry weight was determined as a critical value for doing the transplant, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive va lue, and negative predictive value were 100%, 84.6%, 91.7%, and 94.3%, respectively. This study clearly demonstrated that 48-hr preservation of the canine pancreas subjected to either 60 or 90 min warm ischemia was successfully achieved by the two-layer (UW/PFC) cold storage meth od, and ATP tissue concentration at the end of preservation by this me thod would predict the posttransplant outcome of the ischemically dama ged pancreas just prior to transplantation.